Midnightdream51 - Great to see you reviewing regularly and chatting with
me. In response to a few of your statements/inquires: The A/N was, I
know, very information loaded, but I wanted to be sure to make things
completely clear to everyone reading. Kurama's gang seemed pathetic?
Hm...in comparison to whom? I agree, Kurama has a lot of control over them,
but that's because he's Youko Kurama (and extremely powerful at that).
Kuronue is absent because I believe he died before Zan was ever born. Just
a timeline thing. And as far as Youko being OOC...let me explain my
reasoning on that look. Youko can experience feelings...if you know about
Kuronue, I assume you've seen the Yu Yu movie. In that movie, Youko Kurama
was really distressed when his friend died...so I think he'd feel even more
distressed about losing his son.
Cheeto – Thank you very much. :)
Also, thank you to Rhionae's Mirror Forest (e-mail me for the link) for translating the entire manga Two Shots, which shows the first meeting between Kurama and Hiei. I've changed a few of the lines and added some dialogue to suit my needs, but otherwise the following events are pretty much scene for scene.
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"I'll go. I understand..."
"Don't move."
"Wha..."
The red-haired youth grabbed his female companion, jumping straight up and to the right to avoid the attack. Hiei glared at the two humans, ignoring the large crack his katana had made in the cement. The male was not as he appeared to be. His spirit energy was much more powerful than anything a normal human should contain. The boy 's emerald eyes narrowed defiantly back at him, still holding his companion.
"You avoided me," Hiei growled, slightly surprised that the boy was so agile. He wanted his information, and the short demon was in no mood or position to fight. But that didn't mean he wouldn't if he had to. The two humans began to exchange meaningless words, causing Hiei to become impatient. He had no time for idle chatter either. The fire child pushed himself forward, attacking the strange creature that looked human but felt demon.
The boy bewildered Hiei yet again. Reaching into his sleeve, he pulled out a blade of ordinary grass. The youth pushed his demon energy into the small plant, causing the blade to grow and stiffen. The edges became razor sharp as the grass blade itself became hard enough to serve as a sword.
"A plant weapon?" Hiei's eyes narrowed in puzzlement. It was true that lower class demons could obtain the power to control plants. However, this power was miniscule and allowed, at its greatest potential, the ability to grow a small death flower from a seed. Turning plants into weapons required greater skill in the art of plant control and was generally reserved for certain types of demons; primarily youkos, grue[i], and treemen[ii].
The boy deflected Hiei's next swipe, and the two began exchanging blows faster than the human eye could follow. Well, actually, Hiei seemed to be the only one fighting while his opponent merely blocked every attack aimed for him. Still, the fire-demon couldn't figure out how the boy was keeping up. Even if this creature was the result of a simple demon possession, the demon would still be limited by what the human body could do.
The red head dodged a vicious jab, and the next thing Hiei knew he was chasing the youth into the forest. He could already predict where the other's thoughts. The boy could control plants well, it seemed, and he was trying to switch to a terrain more favorable. Hiei knew the fight would be harder for him in the forest, but he needed to know where Yatsude was hiding. He was not going to let his primary source of information escape.
Prodigious speed or not, Hiei was still quicker than his opponent. Catching up, he swung, aiming for the other's kneecap. He was once again repelled.
"Not bad," Hiei admitted, deciding he might try to chat up the boy. He looked young and stupid enough. Saying the right thing might reveal important information. "What's a guy like you doing working for Yatsude?" Nothing like being blunt.
"Yatsude?" The youth looked surprised and perhaps a little angry. "He's in town?!"
Well, that was enlightening. Unfortunately, it was not what Hiei had been searching for. Both fighters stopped in the middle of a nearby clearing. The two remained in aggressive stances, however, not yet trusting the other.
"You're not with him?" Hiei raised an eyebrow at the boy. What would such a strange, weak creature as him being doing in the human world if not working for a stronger demon?
"I see." The youth's sword shrank, returning to its normal form as a harmless blade of grass. It seemed like such an odd gesture...was the other really so foolish, so trusting as to put his weapon away so soon? "You can put your weapon away. I'm not here because I work for Yatsude. This town is my home."
Hiei had to chuckle at that statement. Well tonight was full of surprises. He really shouldn't have expected any less from this kid, being as unusual as the boy was already. A demon living in the human world eh?
"I lost my temper too quickly..." Hiei sighed, smiling at his foolishness. So many years since he had merged with Zan, and he still committed such dim- witted acts. The boy watched, horrified, as blood dripped from Hiei's cloak, making a soft rustle as it hit the grass. Hiei followed the bright eyes, watching the red liquid soak the darkened green blades beneath him. He fell unconscious before the third drop hit.
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When he regained consciousness, Hiei didn't open his eyes at first. Waking was a slow, groggy process, as if some drug had seeped into his bloodstream and made his entire body seem that much heavier. His mind sluggishly turned over many options as to why he would feel this way. He knew he never consumed enough alcohol to get drunk. He hadn't eaten anything in the past few days, so food poisoning was out of the question. Besides, he had been through that before, and from what little he wanted to remember, the experience tended to involve more regurgitation than lethargy.
Perhaps, Hiei wondered, he had been stung by some poisonous animal...or a plant. Plant? Why did that seem important?
Hiei's eyes snapped open as adrenaline overtook whatever drug was in his system. He swallowed a surprised gasp as he took in his surroundings. Well, Hiei was not anywhere near the Makai, that much was apparent. Bright, artificial light practically glared off the pale, colored walls. A bookcase was directly in front of the fire-demon, pratically overflowing with the musky-smelling items it contained. A desk sat in the corner of the room. In the center was set a matching table with pillows the color of the bedspread Hiei was currently lying on tossed around it.
"You have a great capacity to recover." Hiei sat up at the strange voice, turning his head to look for the source of the sound. There was the little red headed freak, propped up against the wall of what the fire-demon could only guess was the creature's "home." Hiei couldn't help but notice that the boy was sitting in front of the only window in the room. "You're wound is completely healed and in only four hours no less."
Upon glancing down, Hiei was surprised to find that the statement was true (and nearly as surprised to find out he was half naked). He prodded the area where the wound had been gently to make sure.
"It was very deep," the boy continued to speak, watching Hiei with careful observance. "I had to treat you with a Makai remedy."
'Makai remedy? That would be the reason for the disoriented sensation earlier.' Hiei ignored his companion after hearing what he needed to know, looking around the room some more until he found his cloak, scarf, and sword all neatly placed on the back of a chair. Grabbing them, the little demon quickly dressed as the other continued to talk about whatever medicine it was that he used. Hiei had no use for herbal remedies.
"You spoke during your sleep." He stiffened upon that statement. Turning to glare, Hiei noticed with a slight growl that the red-head had his eyes closed and body slightly turned from the demon. The boy was playing back, the gesture saying, 'Oh, so [I]now[/I] you're interested.' "Who is Yukina?"
His answer was a snort before Hiei turned away as he continued to buckle his belts around his sword, making sure it was clasped firmly to his side. He did not have to answer the boy's questions. Seeing he was not going to get a further reaction, the red-head continued on a different subject to provoke something else from his silent patient.
"You've had the Jagan for a short time." Hiei raised an eyebrow at that, and the boy flushed as if he had said something he knew he was not supposed to know. "I mean, I can feel it." It was a quick, made-up excuse, but Hiei let it slide. He had more important things to stand around and be annoyed by a talkative...whatever this creature was. Perhaps he could come back after dealing with Yatsude and find out how much the boy knew about him, and then deal with the situation.
"You must have had a good reason for daring such a feat," Red continued quickly. "For this Yukina of yours, no doubt. What connection is there between her and Yatsude?"
"You're quite the talkative one," Hiei hissed, speaking for the first time since he awoke in this stranger's room. He was prying too deep. "I would keep my mouth shut unless you want me to remove it completely."
The boy shut up, thankfully. Hiei approached him, watching the child warily as he walked towards the window and his escape. The kid didn't seem to be moving to harm Hiei. He, in fact, looked...happy, perhaps? Hiei frowned internally at that. Perhaps he was just relieved that the fire- demon didn't appear to be showing any signs of threatening his young human life.
"You're naïve, but I'll let it slide for now," he said, looking out the window into the city. He could feel Yatsude's presence now. The demon had to have become stronger to give off such spirit energy. Must have eaten recently. "Consider this mere warning as a thanks."
"You still intended to fight?" The boy was not looking at him, but Hiei didn't need to see his eyes to know there was concern there. That felt...odd. Someone worrying over him. Nobody had cared for him since the day his two souls had merged. Especially not a complete stranger. "It's too soon. You're injury may look healed but..."
"The more he eats, the stronger he becomes," was Hiei's simple reply. Slowly the boy nodded, accepting the answer. Hiei jumped on the window- sill, intending to leave right that minute.
"What's your name?" Well that was an odd question. The two demons looked at each other, eyes betraying their thoughts. Hiei felt a tremble run up his spine what he saw in those bright emerald irises. Sorrow and longing. The fire-demon turned away, startled by what he had seen. It was the same look as that day in the tavern...
"Hiei," he answered, feeling obligated to tell the boy, before quickly jumping out the window. Now was not the time to get caught up in foolish affairs with half-human freaks. Besides, Youko had died twelve years ago in the Makai on one of the thief's stupid escapades. Hiei was just being obsessive, and right now, he needed to concentrate on killing Yatsude before the demon's energy increased anymore.
Three minutes later, he heard a voice calling out behind him. It was hard to hold in a groan, but at the same time, Hiei was almost glad for the company the strange child offered.
"I don't take kindly to stalkers or followers," Hiei said, a slight warning edge in his tone. "I prefer to work alone."
"I have my reasons for joining you," came the easy reply. Hiei turned the options over in his mind a few times. He didn't know this child all that well, so his guesses were limited.
"It's the girl you were with earlier," he stated. A quick glance over, and Hiei couldn't help but smile a little at the boy's face.
"That's crap!" Hm. Apparently he had guessed correctly. Human affairs were often either amusing or annoying, and the idea of this half-demon being affectionate with a human was indeed entertaining.
"You're being gossipy again," Hiei taunted, enjoying the small measure of humor being offered before the battle to come. The little demon honestly had no idea what had gotten into his head. He had never been this...sociable with another being.
"I'm after Yatsude. That is all."
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Yatsude did not have Yukina. Nor had he harmed her. The only person at the now-dead demon's lair still alive had been that human girl the red-head had been traveling with. It had been a tough battle, but the victory was theirs.
Theirs. It seemed like such an odd word to say. How long had it been since he had fought side by side with another person? Hiei glanced over at his cohort, watching with mild detachment as Kurama hitched his female up a little higher so she would not slip off his back.
Kurama. Another odd word. Or name in this case. That's what the freak child had told Hiei his name was. The young demon, in truth, did not know if he should laugh at or kill the foolish human for wearing such a pseudonym. Perhaps it really was his name, and it was just that damn ironic that the first person he had even mildly connected with in such a long time would have the same name as Hiei's father.
Zan's father, actually, but now Hiei's father. His father. It had taken two months after meeting the feared youko in the tavern before the events clicked together. A quick visit and a few subtle (and then not so subtle) threats to Shigure later, and Hiei had his answer. It seemed, strange, yet fitting, somehow, that it would be his father, the person he hadn't been looking for, that he would find before Yukina.
The meeting in the tavern proved to Hiei he was to be rejected by all family he ever came in contact with. Kurama hated him. Not Zan, but Hiei. He hated Hiei for taking his son from him. He would have killed the half- koorime had he not been occupying Zan's body. Knowing that his father hated Hiei, a part of his combined soul, killed the last part in Hiei that ever hoped for a family. You couldn't hate just part of the soul without hating the whole person. So Hiei avoided anything Kurama related completely after that.
Many lonely years later, Hiei decided to stop running from his problems for once. He was going to shove the fact that he was Zan in Kurama's face. The fire-demon couldn't deny the fact he wanted Kurama's acceptance, his paternal care, just as much as much as he did back when Zan and Hiei shared different bodies. The idea that they could truly be a family sang in his mind like a nightengale on a winter's night. He had his doubts that Kurama would want him back, but for once, Hiei was going to try and confront his family ties. There was a chance, no matter how small, with the youko. Unlike Hiei's sister, Kurama knew Zan was his son. Kurama had turned to look at Hiei with those eyes, sorrowful for losing his son and longing to have him back. And then there was that little fact that the fox had called Zan, "his." The possessiveness of the word made Hiei feel good. He liked the thought that he was wanted.
So he would find Kurama. He would try to get something, anything from the youko. Even that look again would be enough.
However, the Youko was a great thief, and at every turn Hiei was faced with more challenges when trying to locate him. And then, Kurama had died. Hiei's hope was lost altogether for a father/son reunion. The only thing left to do was re-focus all his attentions on Yukina, the sister he couldn't talk to anyway.
"Are you wondering about my name?" Hiei blinked, surfacing from his thoughts and looking at Kurama. The boy was smiling in a kindly, patronizingly way. The fire-demon frowned. Kurama must have guessed the question on his mind.
"Well, it's not much of a common name. I mean, most normal mothers, even humans, don't name their children Kurama. Demon mothers would have to be either really cruel or extremely insane." The girl on Kurama's back moaned, and he hushed for a moment. That amnesia pollen wouldn't do much good if she woke in the middle of their conversation.
"So why is it your name?" Hiei asked, his tone a little quieter. Not that he cared if the girl overheard or not, but it would be all the better for him if he didn't get into trouble with Spirit World for making demons know to innocent humans.
"Hm. I am Youko Kurama." Kurama chuckled at Hiei's skeptic stare. "You don't believe me."
"Youko Kurama died twelve years ago," was all he replied. Hiei didn't feel like telling the stupid boy that Youko Kurama wouldn't have had to have asked Hiei's name. He knew very well who Hiei was.
"That's funny. I don't feel very dead." Hiei didn't even attempt to stop his eyes from rolling at that.
"I should kill you for your impudence, but that would just be humoring you all the more," he replied to the boy.
"I heard you ran into Kaida again looking for me." Hiei stopped walking, and Kurama stilled next to him. "I'm sorry you had to go through her hell. I would have killed her after I learned what she did to you, but I felt you had the right to that vengeance." Kurama smiled cruelly. "I do have to congratulate you on the wounds you gave her before she escaped. She still can't walk properly...or see...or hear..."
"That means little in evidence." Hiei hissed quietly, interrupting the fox. He didn't want to hear what Kurama was talking about anyway. "Kaida could have told anyone."
"This is true." Kurama sighed, leaning his head back to look up at the stars. Hiei suddenly felt a surge of power coming off the boy. The girl on his back moaned again, but Kurama hushed her as he continued to build up his energy. "My energy feels a bit familiar, no?" Hiei had to agree. Kurama smirked at that. Suddenly his right hand shot out, stopping just in front of Hiei's forehead. The fire-demon jumped to the side, sneering at the boy as he avoided the hit.
Then the ward covering his jagan fluttered in front of him. Hiei caught the cloth before it hit the ground, clenching his fist around the material as he stared at it. So he was... His knuckles turned slightly paler. Kurama's eyes in the bedroom...he should have known from that gaze.
"Why did you ask my name? Why pretend you didn't know who I was?" Hiei looked up at Kurama, glaring. "You could have told me who you were."
"Would you have trusted me to help you if you knew?" Hiei thought about the question posed for a moment, then shrugged. At this point, he was not sure what he would have done had he known the boy next to him was Kurama.
"Besides, you never really gave me much of a chance." Kurama walked off the street, setting his female on the grass where she could sleep peacefully. He sat down next to her, taking a rest from his burden. Hiei shook his head as the youko now human patted the area next to him, offering the demon a seat.
"How are you alive?"
"I was injured severly, so I converted myself into soul form and escaped here." Kurama sat back on his elbows, eyes sad and hopeful all at once. It was odd to see the once feared youko now converted into this...this...human child in front of him. Showing such human emotions. "I've been living among the humans for twelve years."
"You could have left by now," Hiei said incredulously, scowling at the fox. Kurama's eyes lowered, hand caressing the grass.
"I've grown attached to someone here," he said softly. Hiei's eyes darted to the girl at the youko's side. As if sensing his thoughts, Kurama shook his head, reaching over to push a strand of black hair behind his female's ear. "Not Maya. My human mother." He smiled at Hiei's disbelief. "She's shown me what it's like to love. To care about someone. She protected me when I was a foolish, spoiled brat. That kind of devotion..."
Hiei didn't stay to listen to anymore. He couldn't. He took off and just kept running, hoping he would eventually exhaust himself. It took until dawn, but Hiei finally landed in a nearby tree, panting as he leaned his back against the rough bark. His hands were clenched into fists, his eyes squeezed tightly shut as he tried to hold in the pure rage that was coursing through his rapidly pumping blood.
How dare he! How dare that bastard find happiness! How dare he get a family when he was the one to abandon his son! Oh, the thieves had taken Zan from Youko, and, in that, Hiei could forgive his father. But after learning about the merge, he just gave Zan up to death. Didn't even try to talk to or listen to or understand Hiei. He left his son to the cruel Makai! Left him there to...
Hiei began to gasp for breath again, but this time the noise came out in choked sobs. The fire child's eyes were dry, but his throat continued to constrict, making his breathing difficult. He turned and began to pound his fists into the tree to relieve that undefinable pressure building in his chest. It worked until the force of his punches caused the trunk to split. With nothing left to hit, Hiei sank to a sitting position, precautiously balanced on the thin branch his fingers were digging into. He stared into the rising red of the sun, trembling with a kind of rage he had never, in his life, felt before.
'I worked so hard to find him. To gain his acceptance. And what was he doing while I went through all that pain and suffering?! Prattling around in the Ningenkai with a family who loved him! With someone who took him in! When he never took anyone in!' Hiei's eyes closed again in agony. 'He never wanted me. I was so stupid to believe he ever wanted a family. What would the great Youko Kurama want with a weak, foolish son who can't even protect the ones he loves?'
A few gems fell from his eyes to land in Hiei's lap. He began laughing, the same horrible laugh Zan had laughed that day he picked up his brother's lifeless body. Someone else was dead to him now. Another family member had been killed in the half-youko's hopes.
And this time, he didn't know how to save his father or himself.
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[i] Grue according to dictionary.com: "[from archaic English verb for `shudder', as with fear] The grue was originated in the game Zork (Dave Lebling took the name from Jack Vance's "Dying Earth" fantasies) and used in several other Infocom games as a hint that you should perhaps look for a lamp, torch or some type of light source...The grue, according to scholars of the Great Underground Empire, is a sinister, lurking presence in the dark places of the earth. Its favorite diet is either adventurers or enchanters, but its insatiable appetite is tempered by its extreme fear of light. No grues have ever been seen by the light of day, and only a few have been observed in their underground lairs...Grues have sharp claws and fangs, and an uncontrollable tendency to slaver and gurgle. They are certainly the most evil-tempered of all creatures...All this folklore is widely known among hackers."
[ii] Treeman, according to MythCreatures, "Treemen are ancient fantasy creatures that protect the forests of old. Treemen are gigantic tree looking like creatures they have trunk like legs and have great branches for arms. They have a tough woody skin. Treemen have a fear of fire as this can do much damage to them and their forest homes. Treemen tend to have hatred towards those that go around chopping down the biggest and oldest of trees." Most of you might think of the Ents in the Tolkien series, which were indeed based off of treemen.
Cheeto – Thank you very much. :)
Also, thank you to Rhionae's Mirror Forest (e-mail me for the link) for translating the entire manga Two Shots, which shows the first meeting between Kurama and Hiei. I've changed a few of the lines and added some dialogue to suit my needs, but otherwise the following events are pretty much scene for scene.
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"I'll go. I understand..."
"Don't move."
"Wha..."
The red-haired youth grabbed his female companion, jumping straight up and to the right to avoid the attack. Hiei glared at the two humans, ignoring the large crack his katana had made in the cement. The male was not as he appeared to be. His spirit energy was much more powerful than anything a normal human should contain. The boy 's emerald eyes narrowed defiantly back at him, still holding his companion.
"You avoided me," Hiei growled, slightly surprised that the boy was so agile. He wanted his information, and the short demon was in no mood or position to fight. But that didn't mean he wouldn't if he had to. The two humans began to exchange meaningless words, causing Hiei to become impatient. He had no time for idle chatter either. The fire child pushed himself forward, attacking the strange creature that looked human but felt demon.
The boy bewildered Hiei yet again. Reaching into his sleeve, he pulled out a blade of ordinary grass. The youth pushed his demon energy into the small plant, causing the blade to grow and stiffen. The edges became razor sharp as the grass blade itself became hard enough to serve as a sword.
"A plant weapon?" Hiei's eyes narrowed in puzzlement. It was true that lower class demons could obtain the power to control plants. However, this power was miniscule and allowed, at its greatest potential, the ability to grow a small death flower from a seed. Turning plants into weapons required greater skill in the art of plant control and was generally reserved for certain types of demons; primarily youkos, grue[i], and treemen[ii].
The boy deflected Hiei's next swipe, and the two began exchanging blows faster than the human eye could follow. Well, actually, Hiei seemed to be the only one fighting while his opponent merely blocked every attack aimed for him. Still, the fire-demon couldn't figure out how the boy was keeping up. Even if this creature was the result of a simple demon possession, the demon would still be limited by what the human body could do.
The red head dodged a vicious jab, and the next thing Hiei knew he was chasing the youth into the forest. He could already predict where the other's thoughts. The boy could control plants well, it seemed, and he was trying to switch to a terrain more favorable. Hiei knew the fight would be harder for him in the forest, but he needed to know where Yatsude was hiding. He was not going to let his primary source of information escape.
Prodigious speed or not, Hiei was still quicker than his opponent. Catching up, he swung, aiming for the other's kneecap. He was once again repelled.
"Not bad," Hiei admitted, deciding he might try to chat up the boy. He looked young and stupid enough. Saying the right thing might reveal important information. "What's a guy like you doing working for Yatsude?" Nothing like being blunt.
"Yatsude?" The youth looked surprised and perhaps a little angry. "He's in town?!"
Well, that was enlightening. Unfortunately, it was not what Hiei had been searching for. Both fighters stopped in the middle of a nearby clearing. The two remained in aggressive stances, however, not yet trusting the other.
"You're not with him?" Hiei raised an eyebrow at the boy. What would such a strange, weak creature as him being doing in the human world if not working for a stronger demon?
"I see." The youth's sword shrank, returning to its normal form as a harmless blade of grass. It seemed like such an odd gesture...was the other really so foolish, so trusting as to put his weapon away so soon? "You can put your weapon away. I'm not here because I work for Yatsude. This town is my home."
Hiei had to chuckle at that statement. Well tonight was full of surprises. He really shouldn't have expected any less from this kid, being as unusual as the boy was already. A demon living in the human world eh?
"I lost my temper too quickly..." Hiei sighed, smiling at his foolishness. So many years since he had merged with Zan, and he still committed such dim- witted acts. The boy watched, horrified, as blood dripped from Hiei's cloak, making a soft rustle as it hit the grass. Hiei followed the bright eyes, watching the red liquid soak the darkened green blades beneath him. He fell unconscious before the third drop hit.
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When he regained consciousness, Hiei didn't open his eyes at first. Waking was a slow, groggy process, as if some drug had seeped into his bloodstream and made his entire body seem that much heavier. His mind sluggishly turned over many options as to why he would feel this way. He knew he never consumed enough alcohol to get drunk. He hadn't eaten anything in the past few days, so food poisoning was out of the question. Besides, he had been through that before, and from what little he wanted to remember, the experience tended to involve more regurgitation than lethargy.
Perhaps, Hiei wondered, he had been stung by some poisonous animal...or a plant. Plant? Why did that seem important?
Hiei's eyes snapped open as adrenaline overtook whatever drug was in his system. He swallowed a surprised gasp as he took in his surroundings. Well, Hiei was not anywhere near the Makai, that much was apparent. Bright, artificial light practically glared off the pale, colored walls. A bookcase was directly in front of the fire-demon, pratically overflowing with the musky-smelling items it contained. A desk sat in the corner of the room. In the center was set a matching table with pillows the color of the bedspread Hiei was currently lying on tossed around it.
"You have a great capacity to recover." Hiei sat up at the strange voice, turning his head to look for the source of the sound. There was the little red headed freak, propped up against the wall of what the fire-demon could only guess was the creature's "home." Hiei couldn't help but notice that the boy was sitting in front of the only window in the room. "You're wound is completely healed and in only four hours no less."
Upon glancing down, Hiei was surprised to find that the statement was true (and nearly as surprised to find out he was half naked). He prodded the area where the wound had been gently to make sure.
"It was very deep," the boy continued to speak, watching Hiei with careful observance. "I had to treat you with a Makai remedy."
'Makai remedy? That would be the reason for the disoriented sensation earlier.' Hiei ignored his companion after hearing what he needed to know, looking around the room some more until he found his cloak, scarf, and sword all neatly placed on the back of a chair. Grabbing them, the little demon quickly dressed as the other continued to talk about whatever medicine it was that he used. Hiei had no use for herbal remedies.
"You spoke during your sleep." He stiffened upon that statement. Turning to glare, Hiei noticed with a slight growl that the red-head had his eyes closed and body slightly turned from the demon. The boy was playing back, the gesture saying, 'Oh, so [I]now[/I] you're interested.' "Who is Yukina?"
His answer was a snort before Hiei turned away as he continued to buckle his belts around his sword, making sure it was clasped firmly to his side. He did not have to answer the boy's questions. Seeing he was not going to get a further reaction, the red-head continued on a different subject to provoke something else from his silent patient.
"You've had the Jagan for a short time." Hiei raised an eyebrow at that, and the boy flushed as if he had said something he knew he was not supposed to know. "I mean, I can feel it." It was a quick, made-up excuse, but Hiei let it slide. He had more important things to stand around and be annoyed by a talkative...whatever this creature was. Perhaps he could come back after dealing with Yatsude and find out how much the boy knew about him, and then deal with the situation.
"You must have had a good reason for daring such a feat," Red continued quickly. "For this Yukina of yours, no doubt. What connection is there between her and Yatsude?"
"You're quite the talkative one," Hiei hissed, speaking for the first time since he awoke in this stranger's room. He was prying too deep. "I would keep my mouth shut unless you want me to remove it completely."
The boy shut up, thankfully. Hiei approached him, watching the child warily as he walked towards the window and his escape. The kid didn't seem to be moving to harm Hiei. He, in fact, looked...happy, perhaps? Hiei frowned internally at that. Perhaps he was just relieved that the fire- demon didn't appear to be showing any signs of threatening his young human life.
"You're naïve, but I'll let it slide for now," he said, looking out the window into the city. He could feel Yatsude's presence now. The demon had to have become stronger to give off such spirit energy. Must have eaten recently. "Consider this mere warning as a thanks."
"You still intended to fight?" The boy was not looking at him, but Hiei didn't need to see his eyes to know there was concern there. That felt...odd. Someone worrying over him. Nobody had cared for him since the day his two souls had merged. Especially not a complete stranger. "It's too soon. You're injury may look healed but..."
"The more he eats, the stronger he becomes," was Hiei's simple reply. Slowly the boy nodded, accepting the answer. Hiei jumped on the window- sill, intending to leave right that minute.
"What's your name?" Well that was an odd question. The two demons looked at each other, eyes betraying their thoughts. Hiei felt a tremble run up his spine what he saw in those bright emerald irises. Sorrow and longing. The fire-demon turned away, startled by what he had seen. It was the same look as that day in the tavern...
"Hiei," he answered, feeling obligated to tell the boy, before quickly jumping out the window. Now was not the time to get caught up in foolish affairs with half-human freaks. Besides, Youko had died twelve years ago in the Makai on one of the thief's stupid escapades. Hiei was just being obsessive, and right now, he needed to concentrate on killing Yatsude before the demon's energy increased anymore.
Three minutes later, he heard a voice calling out behind him. It was hard to hold in a groan, but at the same time, Hiei was almost glad for the company the strange child offered.
"I don't take kindly to stalkers or followers," Hiei said, a slight warning edge in his tone. "I prefer to work alone."
"I have my reasons for joining you," came the easy reply. Hiei turned the options over in his mind a few times. He didn't know this child all that well, so his guesses were limited.
"It's the girl you were with earlier," he stated. A quick glance over, and Hiei couldn't help but smile a little at the boy's face.
"That's crap!" Hm. Apparently he had guessed correctly. Human affairs were often either amusing or annoying, and the idea of this half-demon being affectionate with a human was indeed entertaining.
"You're being gossipy again," Hiei taunted, enjoying the small measure of humor being offered before the battle to come. The little demon honestly had no idea what had gotten into his head. He had never been this...sociable with another being.
"I'm after Yatsude. That is all."
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Yatsude did not have Yukina. Nor had he harmed her. The only person at the now-dead demon's lair still alive had been that human girl the red-head had been traveling with. It had been a tough battle, but the victory was theirs.
Theirs. It seemed like such an odd word to say. How long had it been since he had fought side by side with another person? Hiei glanced over at his cohort, watching with mild detachment as Kurama hitched his female up a little higher so she would not slip off his back.
Kurama. Another odd word. Or name in this case. That's what the freak child had told Hiei his name was. The young demon, in truth, did not know if he should laugh at or kill the foolish human for wearing such a pseudonym. Perhaps it really was his name, and it was just that damn ironic that the first person he had even mildly connected with in such a long time would have the same name as Hiei's father.
Zan's father, actually, but now Hiei's father. His father. It had taken two months after meeting the feared youko in the tavern before the events clicked together. A quick visit and a few subtle (and then not so subtle) threats to Shigure later, and Hiei had his answer. It seemed, strange, yet fitting, somehow, that it would be his father, the person he hadn't been looking for, that he would find before Yukina.
The meeting in the tavern proved to Hiei he was to be rejected by all family he ever came in contact with. Kurama hated him. Not Zan, but Hiei. He hated Hiei for taking his son from him. He would have killed the half- koorime had he not been occupying Zan's body. Knowing that his father hated Hiei, a part of his combined soul, killed the last part in Hiei that ever hoped for a family. You couldn't hate just part of the soul without hating the whole person. So Hiei avoided anything Kurama related completely after that.
Many lonely years later, Hiei decided to stop running from his problems for once. He was going to shove the fact that he was Zan in Kurama's face. The fire-demon couldn't deny the fact he wanted Kurama's acceptance, his paternal care, just as much as much as he did back when Zan and Hiei shared different bodies. The idea that they could truly be a family sang in his mind like a nightengale on a winter's night. He had his doubts that Kurama would want him back, but for once, Hiei was going to try and confront his family ties. There was a chance, no matter how small, with the youko. Unlike Hiei's sister, Kurama knew Zan was his son. Kurama had turned to look at Hiei with those eyes, sorrowful for losing his son and longing to have him back. And then there was that little fact that the fox had called Zan, "his." The possessiveness of the word made Hiei feel good. He liked the thought that he was wanted.
So he would find Kurama. He would try to get something, anything from the youko. Even that look again would be enough.
However, the Youko was a great thief, and at every turn Hiei was faced with more challenges when trying to locate him. And then, Kurama had died. Hiei's hope was lost altogether for a father/son reunion. The only thing left to do was re-focus all his attentions on Yukina, the sister he couldn't talk to anyway.
"Are you wondering about my name?" Hiei blinked, surfacing from his thoughts and looking at Kurama. The boy was smiling in a kindly, patronizingly way. The fire-demon frowned. Kurama must have guessed the question on his mind.
"Well, it's not much of a common name. I mean, most normal mothers, even humans, don't name their children Kurama. Demon mothers would have to be either really cruel or extremely insane." The girl on Kurama's back moaned, and he hushed for a moment. That amnesia pollen wouldn't do much good if she woke in the middle of their conversation.
"So why is it your name?" Hiei asked, his tone a little quieter. Not that he cared if the girl overheard or not, but it would be all the better for him if he didn't get into trouble with Spirit World for making demons know to innocent humans.
"Hm. I am Youko Kurama." Kurama chuckled at Hiei's skeptic stare. "You don't believe me."
"Youko Kurama died twelve years ago," was all he replied. Hiei didn't feel like telling the stupid boy that Youko Kurama wouldn't have had to have asked Hiei's name. He knew very well who Hiei was.
"That's funny. I don't feel very dead." Hiei didn't even attempt to stop his eyes from rolling at that.
"I should kill you for your impudence, but that would just be humoring you all the more," he replied to the boy.
"I heard you ran into Kaida again looking for me." Hiei stopped walking, and Kurama stilled next to him. "I'm sorry you had to go through her hell. I would have killed her after I learned what she did to you, but I felt you had the right to that vengeance." Kurama smiled cruelly. "I do have to congratulate you on the wounds you gave her before she escaped. She still can't walk properly...or see...or hear..."
"That means little in evidence." Hiei hissed quietly, interrupting the fox. He didn't want to hear what Kurama was talking about anyway. "Kaida could have told anyone."
"This is true." Kurama sighed, leaning his head back to look up at the stars. Hiei suddenly felt a surge of power coming off the boy. The girl on his back moaned again, but Kurama hushed her as he continued to build up his energy. "My energy feels a bit familiar, no?" Hiei had to agree. Kurama smirked at that. Suddenly his right hand shot out, stopping just in front of Hiei's forehead. The fire-demon jumped to the side, sneering at the boy as he avoided the hit.
Then the ward covering his jagan fluttered in front of him. Hiei caught the cloth before it hit the ground, clenching his fist around the material as he stared at it. So he was... His knuckles turned slightly paler. Kurama's eyes in the bedroom...he should have known from that gaze.
"Why did you ask my name? Why pretend you didn't know who I was?" Hiei looked up at Kurama, glaring. "You could have told me who you were."
"Would you have trusted me to help you if you knew?" Hiei thought about the question posed for a moment, then shrugged. At this point, he was not sure what he would have done had he known the boy next to him was Kurama.
"Besides, you never really gave me much of a chance." Kurama walked off the street, setting his female on the grass where she could sleep peacefully. He sat down next to her, taking a rest from his burden. Hiei shook his head as the youko now human patted the area next to him, offering the demon a seat.
"How are you alive?"
"I was injured severly, so I converted myself into soul form and escaped here." Kurama sat back on his elbows, eyes sad and hopeful all at once. It was odd to see the once feared youko now converted into this...this...human child in front of him. Showing such human emotions. "I've been living among the humans for twelve years."
"You could have left by now," Hiei said incredulously, scowling at the fox. Kurama's eyes lowered, hand caressing the grass.
"I've grown attached to someone here," he said softly. Hiei's eyes darted to the girl at the youko's side. As if sensing his thoughts, Kurama shook his head, reaching over to push a strand of black hair behind his female's ear. "Not Maya. My human mother." He smiled at Hiei's disbelief. "She's shown me what it's like to love. To care about someone. She protected me when I was a foolish, spoiled brat. That kind of devotion..."
Hiei didn't stay to listen to anymore. He couldn't. He took off and just kept running, hoping he would eventually exhaust himself. It took until dawn, but Hiei finally landed in a nearby tree, panting as he leaned his back against the rough bark. His hands were clenched into fists, his eyes squeezed tightly shut as he tried to hold in the pure rage that was coursing through his rapidly pumping blood.
How dare he! How dare that bastard find happiness! How dare he get a family when he was the one to abandon his son! Oh, the thieves had taken Zan from Youko, and, in that, Hiei could forgive his father. But after learning about the merge, he just gave Zan up to death. Didn't even try to talk to or listen to or understand Hiei. He left his son to the cruel Makai! Left him there to...
Hiei began to gasp for breath again, but this time the noise came out in choked sobs. The fire child's eyes were dry, but his throat continued to constrict, making his breathing difficult. He turned and began to pound his fists into the tree to relieve that undefinable pressure building in his chest. It worked until the force of his punches caused the trunk to split. With nothing left to hit, Hiei sank to a sitting position, precautiously balanced on the thin branch his fingers were digging into. He stared into the rising red of the sun, trembling with a kind of rage he had never, in his life, felt before.
'I worked so hard to find him. To gain his acceptance. And what was he doing while I went through all that pain and suffering?! Prattling around in the Ningenkai with a family who loved him! With someone who took him in! When he never took anyone in!' Hiei's eyes closed again in agony. 'He never wanted me. I was so stupid to believe he ever wanted a family. What would the great Youko Kurama want with a weak, foolish son who can't even protect the ones he loves?'
A few gems fell from his eyes to land in Hiei's lap. He began laughing, the same horrible laugh Zan had laughed that day he picked up his brother's lifeless body. Someone else was dead to him now. Another family member had been killed in the half-youko's hopes.
And this time, he didn't know how to save his father or himself.
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[i] Grue according to dictionary.com: "[from archaic English verb for `shudder', as with fear] The grue was originated in the game Zork (Dave Lebling took the name from Jack Vance's "Dying Earth" fantasies) and used in several other Infocom games as a hint that you should perhaps look for a lamp, torch or some type of light source...The grue, according to scholars of the Great Underground Empire, is a sinister, lurking presence in the dark places of the earth. Its favorite diet is either adventurers or enchanters, but its insatiable appetite is tempered by its extreme fear of light. No grues have ever been seen by the light of day, and only a few have been observed in their underground lairs...Grues have sharp claws and fangs, and an uncontrollable tendency to slaver and gurgle. They are certainly the most evil-tempered of all creatures...All this folklore is widely known among hackers."
[ii] Treeman, according to MythCreatures, "Treemen are ancient fantasy creatures that protect the forests of old. Treemen are gigantic tree looking like creatures they have trunk like legs and have great branches for arms. They have a tough woody skin. Treemen have a fear of fire as this can do much damage to them and their forest homes. Treemen tend to have hatred towards those that go around chopping down the biggest and oldest of trees." Most of you might think of the Ents in the Tolkien series, which were indeed based off of treemen.